Cartridge belt



J. VESELY CARTRIDGE BELT Filed Nov. 24, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 12,J. LY

CARTRIDGE BELT Filed Nov. 24, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f/m/s/vrax aseyWax/4x4 1? Patented Dec. 12, 1944 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE CARTRIDGEBELT Josef Vesely, Brunn, Czechoslovakia; vested in the Alien PropertyCustodian Application November 24, 1937, Serial No. 176,335

In Czechoslovakia November 30, 1936 Claims.

Cartridge belts of this kind have previously had the great disadvantageof being unwieldy since the size of the members of the hinge connectionwas too great. When the size of the members was made too small, thisresulted in the diminution of the strength of the belt, since the beltstretched lengthwise and the individual members became deformed, thuscausing the cartridges not to be held securely in the belt in thecorrect position. The incorrect positioning of the cartridges in thebelt caused stoppages and disturbances on firing, so that, in this way,the efliciency and the certainty of operation of the firearm wasaffected.

These disadvantages are avoided by the cartridge belt made according tothe present invention by reason of the fact that the members of thebelt, in addition to having the openings which enable the cartridges tobe pushed out, form an uninterrupted pocket, the hinge parts beingarranged directly on the pocket and forming a continuous extension ofthe pocket. According to a further feature of the invention, the hingeparts, which are arranged directly on the pocket for holding thecartridges, are formed by the material which is rigidly connected withthe pocket and stiffens the latter.

Each of the members of the cartridge belt ac cording to the invention isnot only simple in construction but is sufficiently stiffened withregard to its production so that it is strong and does not becomedeformed. The arrangement of the parts of the hinge connection directlyon the pocket not only contributes to increase in strength but, owing tothe diminution of the size of the members to the smallest possibleamount, the most favorable possibility of piling up the belts isobtained.

In order that the present invention may be clearly understood andreadily carried into effect, the same will now be described more fully,by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is an isometric View of part of a cartridge belt embodying theinvention,

Figure 2 is a front elevation of one of the members of the belt,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the member taken at right anglesto Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 2, i

Figure 5 shows the blank from which the member is produced,

Figure 6 is a front elevation of a modified form of member, I

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section taken at right angles to Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 7,

Figure 9 is a front elevation of a further modified form of member,

Figure 10 is a longitudinal section taken at right angles to Figure 9,

Figure 11 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 10,

Figure 12 shows the blank from which the member is produced,

Figure 13 is a section taken on the line II- II of Figure 12, and

Figure 14 is a section of the blank after the formation of the hingeconnection of the members and before the formation of the actual pocket.7

Referring to the drawings, the cartridge belt consists of individualmembers which are provided with devices for holding the cartridges andare hingedly connected with each other by pivots.

The device for holding the cartridges forms a pocket I, Figures 1 to 5which is made of metal, such as sheet steel, and partially surrounds thecartridge. The pocket conforms to the shape of the cartridge and formsthe surface of a truncated cone or cylinder which is open on one sidethroughout the whole length thereof to permit a part of the breechmechanism to push the cartridge out of the belt during firing.

The pocket is provided, on one side of the opening 2, with two eyelets 3and 3' for the hinge pivot, as shown in Figure 4, the said eyelets beingarranged on the front and rear ends of the pocket and being separatedfrom each other only by the distance a. Between the eyelets 3 and 3'there is inserted an eyelet 5 of the adjoining member when the belt isbeing put together and a pin 4 is passed through the eyelets, the saidpin being prevented in known manner from falling out. There is thusformed a pivot by which the mem bers are hingedly connected together.

The eyelets 3 and 3 lie close to the outer surface of the pocket sincethey are formed by being pressed-out of the same metal sheet as the oneof which the pocket consists. The eyelet 5, on the other side, likewiselies close to the outer surface of the pocket and is formed by pressingtogether the strip 6 which surrounds the pocket for the width a and isrigidly connected therewith by riveting, welding or the like. The strip6 stiifens the pocket and is, for this purpose, provided witharcuate-shaped corrugations 1 which are formed concentrically with theaxis of the pocket.

The pocket is provided with means for fixing the cartridge that has beenpushed therein. This means may consist of a projection 10 which engagesthe bead of the cartridge, as shown in Figure 3.

The member with the eyelets and the stiffening strip are produced from apiece of sheet metal such as sheet steel. The blank, from which themember is produced, is illustrated in Figure 5. It

consists of a plate I5 provided with an enclosed rectangular cut-outportion I6 of the dimensions a, b. On the sides of this cut-out portionthere remain of the plate two solid rectangles l1 and ll of thedimensions b and c. The pressed-out eyelets are then separated fromeacli other by the dimension a of the rectangular cut-out portion IS.The plate I5, of a length Z, continues on one side into a tongue orextension 18 of the same length Z and of a width (1. From the tongue orextension l8 there are pressed out, on the one hand, the eyelet 5 and,on the other hand, after previously rolling the plate l5 to form thepocket I, the stiffening strip 6 which embraces the pocket on the wholeperiphery thereof so that it engages between the eyelets 3 and 3'.Pressed out in the plate 15 is a projection l2 which forms in the pocketi the member H] for securing the cartridge. There are then pressed outin the extension I 8 parallel ribs which form the stiffening elements 1of the strip 6.

The modified form of member illustrated in Figures 6 to 8 is adapted forthe putting in of rimmed ammunition. The said member is formed in thesame manner as the member for the rimless ammunition, but, instead ofone projection I0, there are formed two projections I and Hi", theprojection l0 being formed lower for the purpose of facilitating thepushing of the cartridge into the belt. The cartridge case engages withits edge in the depression between the projections l0 and I0" and isthus held in the belt. On the opposite end, the pocket is provided withtwo pressed-out projections 22 and 22, Figures 6 and '7, which serve tohold the cartridge in a position which permits of its being introducedinto the cartridge chamber easily and without disturbance.

In the further modification illustrated in Figures 9 to 14, thecartridge belt member, as shown in Figure 9, forms the pocket which,except for a longitudinal opening 24, encloses the cartridge case, thesaid longitudinal opening being formed for the purpose of enabling themovable breech part to push the cartridge out.

The formation of the eyelets for the hinge connection can be seen fromthe sheet metal blank illustrated in Figures 12 to 14. The blankconsists of a plate 30 which is cut out on one side in such a mannerthat two right-angled cuts 3| and 3| are formed, the vertical sides ofwhich are at a distance a from each other. On the opposite side, theplate is cut out in such a manner that a U-shape is formed in which thevertical sides are in the extension of the vertical sides of theopposite right angled cuts 3!, 3!. The width b of the sides as well asthe vertical angles and the U-shape are such that they 'are suflicientfor the formation of the hinge connection. The horizontal sides of theright angled cuts 3|, 3! as well as of the U-shape are likewise disposedat a distance I) from the edge.

'An eyelet 21 is formed by pressing out the material 32 between thevertical sides of the cuts 3| and 3| and eyelets 26 and 26' of the hingeconnection, Figure 14, are formed from the rectangles 33 and 33 on thetwo sidesof the vertical sides of the U-shape.

On the pressing of the eyelet 21 as well as of the eyelets 26 and 26',the strips 34 and 34' are displaced through the width b, which stripslie at this width above the horizontal sides of the right angled cuts 3|and 3| and beneath the horizontal side of the U-shape respectively andcome in front of the rectangular projections 36 and 36 and therectangular projection 35, re-

spectively as shown in Figure 14. The strips 34 4 and 34' then lie inthe same plane as the middle part of the plate 30, whilst therectangular projections 36 and 36 and the rectangular projections '35are bent out and come on the side of the plate on which the eyelets areformed.

After rolling and pressing together the plate to form the pocket 25, thesaid strips 34 and 34' form the continuation of the pocket so that thelatter, except for the opening 24 for the part of the breech mechanismwhich pushes the cartridge out of the belt, is not interrupted by anyopening which might be produced by the using of the corresponding partsof the material of the plate 33 for the formation of the eyelets of thehinge connection.

The projections 36 and 36' and the projection 35 then form the outerstiffenings of the pocket, especially at the positions of the hingeconnection and on the edges of the pocket at the opening 24, so that themember produced is especially strong and withstands considerable strainwithout becoming deformed.

The cutting of this member is simple and without waste of material. Thepocket may then be provided with stiffening ribs or with means forgrasping the cartridge case at the bead or at the edge as illustrated inFigures 1 to 8.

What I claim is: I

1. A cartridge belt comprising a series of individual members, eachmember forming a cartridge holding pocket, hinge elements on oppositesides of each member, a reinforcing element connected to each memberextending about the wall of said pocket, the hinge elements on one sideof said member being integral with the material of the pocket wall andspaced from one another and the hinge elements on the other side of saidmember being integral with the material of the reinforcing element.

2. A cartridge belt asset forth in claim v1 in which said reinforcingelement is in the form of a strip of a Width equal to the distancebetween the hinge elements on one side of said member which are integralwith the material of the pocket wall.

3. A cartridge belt as set forth in claim 1 in which said reinforcingelement is in the form of a stifiening strip which surrounds the wall ofsaid pocket and engages between the hinge ele ments formed on one sideof said member integral with the material of the pocket wall.

4. A cartridge belt as set forth in claim 1 in which said pocket isformed with double walls and in which the outer wall is formed from saidreinforcing element.

5. A cartridge belt as set forth in claim 1 in which said reinforcingelement extends from the hinge sockets up to the opening provided insaid pocket for the part of the breechmechanism which pushes thecartridge out of the belt.

6. A cartridge belt clip for automatic firearms composed of asubstantially rectangular body portion of sheet metal curved to embracea cartridge, a portion of said body being formed to provide hinge jointlugs adjacent and parallel to a straight side edge of said body portion,and a strip portion extending from the center of the other straight sideedge of said body portion and folded thereagainst in a manner tostrengthen and reinforce said body portion and form a hinge joint lugadjacent said second mentioned side edge of the body portion, theextremity of said strip being interengaged with and rigidly fixed andmechanically locked to said body portion.

7. A blank for forming an individual member of a cartridge beltcomprising a rectangular plate having a rectangular cut out portiontherein and side thereof from which a reinforcing element maybeconstructed to surround the wall of a cartridge pocket formed from saidplate, said extension having a width which is substantially equal to oneside of the rectangular cut out portion in said plate and a length whichis substantially equal to the length of said plate.

8. A blank for forming an individual member of a cartridge beltcomprising a rectangular plate having a rectangular cut out portiontherein and an extension on said plate extending from one side thereoffrom which a reinforcing element may be constructed to surround the wallof a cartridge pocket formed from said plate, one side of saidrectangular cut out portion having a "an extension on said plateextending from one length which is substantially equal to thecircumference of the hinge socket which is formed adjacent thereto.

9. A cartridge belt comprising individual members, each constituting acartridge-holding pocket, hinge parts on each side of each of theindividual members of the belt formed integrally therewith and meanspartly surrounding the wall of the cartridge-holding pocket so as toincrease the thickness thereof with a consequent stiffening effect alsoformed integrally with each member, the pocket for holding the cartridgebeing made with a double wall on both sides at the positions in thevicinity of the hinge parts and between these positions, the outer wall,which serves to stifien the pocket, being formed as an integralextension of the pocket.

10; A cartridge belt comprising individual' members, each constituting acartridge-holding pocket, hinge parts on each side of each of theindividual members of the belt formed integrally therewith and meanspartly surrounding the wall of the cartridge-holding pocket so as toincrease the thickness thereof with a consequent stiffening efiect alsoformed integrally with each member, said pocket having stifieningsformed thereon so that they extend from the positions where the parts ofthe hinge connection are arranged up to the opening in the pocket forthe part of the breech mechanism which pushes the cartridge out of thebelt.

JOSEF vEsELY.

